TEI SHI CHANNELS HER INNER BAE

Argentinian-born Brooklynite Valerie Teicher, a.k.a. Tei Shi, is an immensely talented singer-songwriter who’s been cranking out entrancingly minimal, electronic-influenced tracks ala Banks and F.K.A. Twigs (minus the scarf-birthing). Her hauntingly subtle vocals and penchant for near-gratuitous layering give her an edge in the increasingly saturated downtempo climate. People like to call her sound R&B, indie or electronic, but it’s more complex and novel than any of these titles are capable of expressing.

In a stylistically appropriate move, Tei has produced a cover of Beyoncé’s “No Angel,” turning down the intensity a notch and adding her signature layering and ephemeral vocal styling. The synth is decidedly more 80’s, and the steel drum-esque accents in the verse and bridge add a wonderfully unexpected dynamic. Her high falsetto is particularly effective, adding a sharpness that, in contrast, makes the deep lows sound even lower.

Both versions are awesome, but kudos to Tei Shi for undertaking the Herculean task of covering a Queen Bey song.